Method of forming cardboard boxes



ocfn 23, 1945.

v METHOD OF FORMING A CARDBOARD BOX C. F. KLEIN ET AL Filed June 25,1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lC. F. KLEIN ErAL. METHOD oF Fomdxmerl A cARDBoARDBox 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed June 25, 1942 eral adoption.

Patented 1945 l UNITED STATES PATE assazv mamon or romane canpnosap nomsClarence F.

Klein and Edgar Huber, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to Frankenberg Bros.,

Enc.,

Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 25, 1942, serialNo. 448,452

'z claims. (ol. as-caov This invention relates to 'foldabl'eA boxes orcartons of the type employedin the packaging of various solids, such asthose which exist in the finely divided, granular or amore united form.

More particularly, the box or carton forming the present invention is ofthe type having an inner lining of paper and an'exterior structure ofpaper board. which parts are provided' withhingedly movable end flapsadaptedwhen interfolded and adhesively Joined with each other to sealthecontents of the box or carton against deterioration or loss.

- 'In paper lined boxespf this general character proposed by 'the priorart, it has been customary to cut or stamp the box bodies from sheets ofpaper board, tovthen apply an adhesive tothe' eifect its formation in.such manner that lthe manufacturing costs thereof may be reduced tosuch an extent as to enable the boxes or cartons to compete commerciallywith boxes oering less protection to the contents they are adapted toreceive and enclose.

With present day shortages in various materials which hitherto have beenlargely used in the packaging of various commodities. there is a demandfor an emcient cardboard box which may be'used in automatic packagingoperations and which will offer superior protection to the cornmoditiesso packaged. Many such commodities contain oils and fats which whenbrought into contact with an innerlined paper board box, permeatethrough the box and discolor its exterior. producing an unattractiveappearance which tends to diminish sales. Often such products are of afinely divided nature. which heretofore have been largely packaged insheet metal, or glass containers and-which, because of their'iinelydivided nature. tend to sift through the tiny crevices of an ordinarypaper board folding b'ox. -In an been developed with the end in view ofovercoming or minimizing the objectionable conditions above noted andothers by providing an improved box or carton and method ofmanufacturing and sealing the same so wrapper is produced sistant toattack by which; in use,4 is' highly re moisture and internal oils, fatsor greases, the box being capable of being sealed so that its contentswill not sift out, be subject to insect attack and', when closed andsealed, Will be virtually airtight.

It is another object of the invention to provide a box of this characterwhich may be used in connection with standard automatic fillingmachines, so that the filling of the box and the closing and sealingthereof may be carried out automatically without involvingV the use ofmanual operations.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to Abe had tothe`following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view .of the blank from which l our -improved box -orcarton is formed;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end ofthe boxdisclosing the flaps thereof in their opener extended positionsproviding for the introduction of materials into the interior of thebox;

Fig. 3 is a similar view disclosing the step of folding one of the sidepanel flaps inwardly and further disclosing the operation of locallyheating the flaps of the front and back panel sections of the box topartly release the paper lining to permit of the nap folding operationwithout tearing of the lining;

Fig. 4 is a similar view disclosing both flaps of the side panelsections in their folded positions when enclosing the contents of thebox;

Fig. 5 is a similar view disclosing the box in its fully closed andsealed condition;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken through the closed and sealedbox on the piane indicated by the line yV'I-VI of Fig. 5;

effort to counteract these conditions. it` hasalso been a commonpractice in the art to first place such goods or merchandise in scalablebags or wrappers composed of a material such; as Cello- -phane and tothen place the bags orenvelopes Our improved paperlined box or cartonhas 604 Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the planeindicated by the line VII-V'II of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 i's a. horizontal sectional view taken on the une VIII- vm ofFig. 2; l

Fig. 9 is a similar view on an enlarged scale taken through one of thecorners of the box; l

Fig. l0 is a detail end elevational view showing l a modified form ofthe box wherein the'ilaps of the side panels are slightly shorter inheight than` the complemental naps of the front and back panels.

In forming the box or present invention, paper weight has fully appliedcarton-oo to one of the surfaces thereof, in order to completely coversuch su-v face, a layer or lining of a thin moisture-resisting andfat-repellent paper, such as one of the parchment grades. The union ofthe lining that a cardboard boxvormprwnsnie, stock of suitable i withthe paper board stock is preferably eifected by applying to the stock athermo-responsive adhesive. This adhesive may be wax or paraffin or onecomposed principally of wax or parafiin. We have used advantageously anadhesive which has a melting point of the order of 160 to 165 degreesFahrenheit. The adhesive is uniformly and thinly distributed between themeeting surfaces of the paper board stock and the parchment lining andpressure may be applied to produce a homogeneous union therebetween.

This laminated stock may lthen be supplied to the box manufacturer insheets of suitable size and from these sheets there is cut, by the useof standard machinery, box blanks of the type indicated at l5 in Fig. l,each blank comprising a layer of paper board and an adhesively joinedlayer of the parchment paper lining, both layers possessing the samedimensions and being securely joined together.

In the operation of cutting the blank into substantially the rectangularconfiguration disclosed in Fig. l, the blank is simultaneously scoredalong the vertically extending parallel lines I6 to provide weakenedfold lines. These fold lines divide each blank into a front panel Il, aback panel I8, side panels I 9 and 20 and an overlapping attachmentpanel 2|. The front panel I1 has formed at each end thereof a flap 22,'the latter being joined with said front panel along the horizontallyextending parallel scored or weakened lines indicated at 23. Likewise,the back panel I4 is provided with a corresponding flap 24 and the sidepanels I9 and 2|! are formed with complemental flaps 25 and 25respectively. Similarly, the attachment panel 2| is provided at its endswith registering flaps 21, all of said flaps 24 to 21 inclusive beinghingedly foldable with respect to their adjoining panels along thescored lines 23.

The paper board stock at the time of the blanking operation is cutcompletely through (without cutting the paper lining 28) along theparallel lines indicated at 29 so that the contiguous edges of the napswill be completely separated, permitting each flap to be foldedindependently of the remaining flaps. 'Ihe slitting of the paper boardblank as at 29 is accomplished by the use of die cutters which, in thecutting or blanking machine, are so set and their movement limited as toeiiect complete penetration of the paper board stock along the lines 29,without penetrating or scoring the paper lining. .f

With the blank |5 so cut and formed, the box is folded to assume, first,the formation disclosed in Fig. 2, wherein a substantially cubicalformation is provided with the end flaps open, the box beingsubstantially rectantular in horizontal section, as shown in Fig. 8.This configuration is maintained by suitably cementing the outer panel2| to the inner surfaces of the side panel I9 and, likewise, the -flapextensions 2l, tothe flap extensions 25. The bottom flaps may then befolded and sealed in the same manner as will be presently described withreference to the upper set of flaps, the upper flaps being -left open inorder that the box may receive its contents. While the folding, meltingand sealing may be effected by manual operations, if desired, theconstruction of the box is such as to be adaptable to many standard boxhandling and filling machines, wherein the folding, filling desiredcontents, the upper naps are closed and sealed in the same manner as thelower flaps. This is accomplished, as shown in Fig. 3, by locallyheating the flaps 22 and 24, preferably over the triangular regionsindicated at 30. Such heating may be accomplished while the boxes arebeing advanced through the packaging machine. For instance, such heatingmay be performed (Fig. 3) by applying to the aps 22 and 24 anelectrically heated shoe or other instrumentality of the type indicatedat 3|. 'This shoe heated to a temperature of the order of 350 degreesFahrenheit when maintained in contact with the flaps 22 and 24 for aperiod of approximately one seconds duration will melt the paraffin baseadhesive u'sed in securing the lining 28 to the Apaper board stock,thereby loosening the paper lining from the flaps 22 and 24 in theregions engaged by the heated shoe. It will be understood that the shoemay be heated in any suitable manner instead of being heatedelectrically, as by the use of steam or the like.

This virtually instantaneous release of the paper lining from the flaps22 and 24 in the regions 30, enables the flap 26 of the side panel 20 tobe turned inwardly and downwardly, as in 3, folding the paper liningtriangularly where connected with the flap 26, but not in any mannertearing or interrupting the structure of the lining. Simultaneously withthis operation or immediately thereafter, the flap 25 of the side panelI9 is turned inwardly, as in Fig. 4, in order to close the top ofthebox, with both flaps 25 and 26 lying in the same horizontal plane.Before the naps 22 and 24 are folded, a suitable cement is applied tothe triangular surfaces 30 of the flaps 22 and 24 which have been leftexposed by the triangular fold of the paper lining. To these innerexposed surfaces of the flaps 22 and 24, and to the exposed anddownwardly folded surfaces of the lining 28, there is applied 1thecementing material by means of which the flaps 22 and 24 are firmlyunited together in their inter-folded order, shown in Fig. 5, therebytightly sealing the box and protecting its contents.

In View of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present inventionprovides a paper-lined box which may be economically manufactured andwhich, in service, will offer superior protection to the materialsplaced therein. The use of the 'parchment paper lining, as previouslystated,'

protects the contents of the box from deterioration from moisture attackand, also, if such materials contain constituent oils or greases, thesame will not be transmitted to the paper board outer members of the boxto discolor or disgure the same. Since the paper lining is not cut, topermit of the folding of the end flaps, the contents. of the box cannotsift out through fine crevices or openings, a feature 'which rendersadditionally the box sealed against the entrance of insects as well asexcluding extraneous atmospheres. Economy in the manufacture of the boxis obtained largely by applyingthe parchment paper lining to thecardboard sheets prior to the blanking of the Asheets into box-formingorder. This laminated sheet, composed of the cardboard and the paperlining, constitutes in effect a single sheet, which may be cut orblanked with the use of the same machinery and with the samemanufacturing speed as if the blank were formed from a single sheet ofcardboard.

Another important feature of the invention is the employment of theparailinv base adhesive in uniting the paper lining with the cardboardbody. While the adhesive firmly secures the lining to the body,nevertheless, when locally heated for but a short period of time, theadhesive softens or melts so that the lining may be removed from contactwith localized regions of the box to facilitate the folding of the sidepanel flaps without any tearing, weakening or other form ofdeterioration of the lining.

As shown in Fig. 10, it may be desirable when the boxes are handled bycertain types of filling machines, to form the side panel flaps 25 and26 so that the same are somewhat shorter in length than the complementalflaps 22 and 24. This is done so that the guides of the packagingmachine may engage and grip the upper longitudinal edges of the flaps 22and 24 as the box is advanced through the packaging machine] It will beapparent that various other modifications may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as the latter hasbeen defined in the following claims.

What we claim is:

l. The method of producing a paper-lined box which comprises securing toone side of a sheet of cardboard by the use of a heat-softening adhesivea lining sheet of paper, the'latter covering the full surface area ofthe face of the cardboard sheet on which the lining paper is applied andbeing uniformly secured thereto over said full surface area by theadhesive, thereafter cutting the combined cardboard and paper sheets toproduce a box blank having front, back and side panels which arefoldable into box formation along scored lines and which panelsterminate at each end thereof in foldable ap extensions, and completelycutting through the cardboard body of the blank along a plurality ofparallel lines to sever the contiguous edges of said flap extensions sothat the latter are independently foldable, such cutting through of theblank being limited to the cardboard sheet and without cutting thecontiguous regions of the paper lining.

2. The method of producing a paper-lined box which comprises securing toone side of a sheet of cardboard by the use of a heat-softening adhesivea lining sheet of paper, the latter covering the full surface area ofthe face of the cardboard sheet on which the lining paper is applied andbeing uniformly .secured thereto over said full surface area by theadhesive, thereafter cutting the combined cardboard and paper sheets toproduce a box blank having front, back and side panels which arefoldable into box formation along scored lines and which panelsterminate at each end thereof in foldable ap extensions, completelycutting through the cardboard body of the blank along a plurality ofparallel lines to sever the contiguous edges of said flap extensions sothat the latter are independently foldable, 4such cutting through of theblank being limited to the cardboard sheet and without cutting thecontiguous regions of the paper lining, and applying heat to the apextensions joined with the front and back panels to release locally theadhesive bond joining the lining with said last-named nap extensions,whereby to permit the flap extensions of the side panels to be foldedinwardly without tearing the paper lining.-

3. The method of producing a paper-lined box which comprises securing toone side of a sheet of cardboard by the use of a heat-softening adhesivea lining sheet of paper, the latter covering the full surface area ofthe face of the cardboard sheet on which the lining paper is applied andbeing uniformly secured thereto over said full surface area by theadhesive, thereafter cutting the combined cardboard and paper sheets toproduce a box blank having front, back and side panels which arefoldable into box formation along scored lines and which panelsterminate at each end thereof in foldable flap extensions, completelycutting through the cardboard body of the blank along a plurality ofparallel lines to sever the contiguous edges of said flap extensions sothat the latter are independently foldable, such cutting through of theblank being limited to the cardboard sheet and without cutting thecontiguous regions of the paper lining, applying heat to the apextensions joined with the front and back panels to release locally theadhesive bond joining the lining with said last-named flap extensions,whereby to permit the flap extensions of the side panels to be foldedinwardly without tearing the paper lining, and thereafter applying acementing material to the surfaces of the front and back panel flapsfrom which the paper lining was released by the heating step, andfolding the last-named ap extensions upon the side panel flap extensionsand sealing the same thereto by said cementing material.

4. In the production of folding carton blanks j from a sheet of paperboard having a sheet of a lining material secured thereto oversubstantially its entire area by means of a heat-softening adhesive, theimprovement which comprises cutting through said paper board sheet alongselected lines within the confines of each of said blanks withoutcutting the lining material there- 5. In the production of foldingcarton blanks having flaps on each of the side wall panels thereofadapted to be folded into carton closing position, said blanks being cutfrom a sheet of paper board and having a sheet of lining materialsecured thereto over substantially its entire area by means of aheat-softening adhesive, the improvement which comprises cutting throughsaid paper board sheet along lines dening contiguous flaps on each ofsaid blanks without cutting the lining material thereon.

6'. In the production of folding carton blanks from a web of paperboardhaving a thin sheet of paper lining secured thereto over substantiallyits entire area by means of a heat-softening adhesive, the improvementwhich comprises cutting completely through said paperboard web alongselected lines within the confines of each of said blanks, such cuttingbeing arrested in the plane of the adhesive and without penetrating thelining material.

'7. In the production of folding carton blanks having naps onV each ofthe sidewall panels thereof adapted to be folded into carton-closingposition, said blanks being cut from a web of paperboard which has athin sheet of lining material secured thereto over substantially itsentire area by means of a heat-softening adhesive, the improvement whichcomprises in a single operation cutting completely through saidpaperboard web along lines defining contiguous flaps on each side ofsaid blanks, such cutting being terminated in the plane of the adhesiveand without cutting said lining material.'

CLARENCE F. HEIN. EDGAR HUBER.

